Having dealt with Korlasz in the catacombs and completed the starter dungeon (Interlude), Charname is time-lapsed to the Ducal Palace for the commencement of Chapter Seven.

This post in a nutshell: initial exploration and questing in Baldur's Gate, recruiting a couple of companions to start forming our new adventuring party, and otherwise readying for our northward-bound expedition to Caelar's Stronghold.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The Ducal Palace

Guest Suite

(AR BD0103)

So here we are! - in a luxurious suite of the opulent Ducal Palace. The jumpy Imoen awakens you and sneaks off to investigate a noise coming from the next room. You will notice the following things:

Your party has disbanded without warning and with no goodbyes. I guess it's not a huge deal but it would have been nice to say goodbye to a few of them who won't be party members in Siege. Afterall, we did adventure together for the entire main campaign...

The contents of your backpack and your companion's backpacks have been transferred to a nearby storage chest aka party stash. The problem here is that your companions have absconded with their equipped items. This is also not a huge deal but it caused me to reload a save-game to transfer equipped items to backpacks, in order to keep them in reserve for future party members (they were loans, not gifts). Update: If not stripped of their equipped gear at the Interlude's conclusion, companions that are found later in the campaign will still have them on their person. Note: Imoen has her own private stash, located in her room.

You have not a penny on your person but are in possession of a Treasury Note and there is a quest in your journal related to regaining your gold (Quest: My Missed Fortune).

It seems we should meet up with Ophyllisin
the treasury at our first
opportunity. Leave the companion equipment in the
storage chest for the time being: you can always return to your suite and collect its contents once you
have recruited your mules (aka companions).

No sooner have you stepped into the living room, Imoen runs back to you with four assassins hot on her heels; one of whom knocks her out cold before you can defend her! The assassins are then rapidly shot down by a sharpshooter ally: Schael Corwin, Captain of the Flaming Fist.

Assassin x3 (+75-125 Exp ea).

Liia Jannath, a Grand Duke of Baldur's Gate, then teleports into the chamber and tends to Imoen who has succumbed to a non-lethal "mystic poison". Liia requests that you accompany Corwin in hunting down the assassins who have infiltrated the palace (Quest: Important Events - Secure the Palace).

Loot the Parchment from a corpse and it becomes clear that you - unsurprisingly - were the assassins' mark.

Loot: Trivial treasures only. There is a storage chest for Imoen in her room but if you didn't have her in your party then it just contains her generic gear.

When you're ready, head downstairs to the dining hall.

Second Floor — Dining Hall

(AR BD0100)

Assist Corwin and the Flaming Fist Enforcers in fighting off several more assassins, a couple of whom attempt to trap you in an adjoining room. You should have no problems dealing with these scrubs: relatively speaking they are far less threatening than Shank and Carbos of the Candlekeep Prologue.

Assassin x5 (+75-125 Exp ea).

Loot: Trivial treasures.

(Completed Quest: Secure the Palace).

If you return to the guest suite you will see Imoen on the bed being watched over by the cleric, Fenster. She is alive, and we wish her a speedy recovery. You may also return here, anytime, to access your storage chest and rest; i.e, heal your wounds and memorize spells.

Descend the stairs to the Council Hall.

First Floor — Council Hall

(AR BD0102)

This is the chamber in which you exposed Sarevok's evil intent to the Grand Dukes a few weeks ago; and now you again have audience with The Council of Four: Eltan (leader of the Flaming Fist), Entar Silvershield (Skie's father), Liia Jannath & Belt. It's confirmed that you were to be assassinated by hitmen in the employ of Caelar Argent's Crusade. You then learn the symbol of the crusade, a sun cresting the horizon. The Dukes inform you that the Flaming Fist have joined soldiers from Daggerford and Waterdeep to march north to Caelar's Stronghold (aka Dragonspear Castle), but that their combined army is still no match for The Shining Lady's swelling ranks. Therefore, the Dukes request that you embark on a northward-bound, Fist-backed expedition to rendezvous with the out-numbered allied forces; afterall, YOU are the Hero of Baldur's Gate, one who has brought Xzarts to the brink of extinction and delved to the depths of Durlag's Tower to vanquish a Demon Knight! However, preparations must first be made before we embark on tomorrow's expedition - to which this post and the next are given over.

Speak with Skie Silvershield, the roguish daughter of Duke Entar and companion of Charname in the original campaign (but not in Siege). She suspects that Caelar is a Bhaalspawn and intends to meet you in private, some other time, to tell you more. That won't happen until just before leaving for the expedition, so put her out of your mind until then (Quest: Skie's Grand Plan).

Jospil is a depressed loremaster who needs a moment to compose
himself. Speak with him a second time to receive info on the refugee
crisis, the progress of Caelar's Crusade and Caelar Argent herself. It seems the Argent family are known for their service to Lathander and that her ancestors were paladins in the Order of Aster. Be positive in dialogue to cheer Jospil up and he gifts you Brevin's Quarterstaff(THAC0 +1, dmg +1, Lore +10, Friends 1/day). You also receive +250 Exp.

(Completed Quest: The War at Home).

Descend the stairs to reach the basement of the palace.

Palace Basement & Treasury

(AR BD0116)

.
You will arrive here just in time to witness Korlasz breaking out of her cell, scorching a guard with Fireball in the process (Of course, this only happens if you showed her mercy in the Interlude). Korlasz may pose problems for some players since you lack a party for back-up. Her self-buffs of Mirror Image and Stoneskin coupled with her scripted movement make her hard to hit (for mundane builds); and her casting of Confusion may wreak havoc if you don't have mind shield status active. Stick with it and you should be able to take her down - this time for good!

(Completed Quest: Sarevok's Servant).

Korlasz: +2,500 Exp.

A Flaming Fist officer is imprisoned in an adjacent cell, claiming that a Doppelganger tricked him into being locked inside. Use the cell key found on the nearby table to release Idianeali, who then claims that a mage in Sarevok's service tricked him (i.e, Korlasz). Idianeali thanks you for releasing him and then runs off to report to Fist command. The quest completes and it seems like there is nothing else to do (Completed Quest: The Fist Restrained). However, force-attacking Idianeali exposes him as a Doppelganger that surrenders after taking a beating. When it does, you may either lock it back in its cell (no reward) or accept its offer to rendezvous in the Iron Throne HQ basement (Quest: The False Fist). This quest is continued in Part III.Note: You may also slay the Doppelganger outright for +700 Exp (lock the creature back up then reopen the door and force-attack it).

Step into the treasury and Ophyllis explains how he lost your massive gold-hoard. A gambling treasurer? What? Do you have any idea how many Xvart corpses I looted to amass my fortune? Anyway, Ophyllispromises to meet you outside the palace to pay back the gold.

The door to the vault is locked and the fancy chest inside is locked and trapped: you need a thief or at least the Knock spell to swipe what's inside. The door can be forced open with Titan Strength (stacking DUHM with a Storm potion) but the chest stubbornly resists brute force.Loot: 1647 GP, Laeral's Tear Necklace, King's Tears, Emerald, Diamond. .

Companion — Overview

Return to the council hall and find Corwin in the foyer. She gives you some leads as to the whereabouts of potential companions:.

Iron Throne HQ (Rasaad). The Monk reluctantly declines to join. You will meet him again in the Coast Way Forest (Chapter Eight), at which point you may enlist his services (AR BD7000: x=2040, y=1500).

Flaming Fist HQ (Tiax). Rudely refuses to join.

According to Fist intel Khalid & Jaheira are somewhere "up north", Neera is probably at Boareskyr Bridge, and Viconia has already been hired for the expedition (Quest: Recruitment Drive).

Corwin(human Archer), GlintGardnersonson(gnome Cleric/Thief multi-class) and Edwin(human Conjurer) are available at the commencement of Chapter Eight; but remember that Edwin and the Dynaheir/Minsc duo are mutually exclusive due to factional rivalry and general hatred of each another. Baeloth(drow Sorcerer) & M'Kkiin(goblin Shaman) are also available very early in Chapter Eight.

Jaheira(half-elf Fighter/Druid) & Voghiln(human Skald) are available at the commencement of Chapter Nine(AR BD7100: x=3700, y=300).Dorn Il-Kharn(Half-orc Blackguard), Neera(human Wild Mage) and Khalid(elf Fighter) are available towards the end of Chapter Nine.

Important Note: The above is just a brief overview. Screenshots and pro-tips are given for each companion at the time of their recruitment; e.g, Minsc & Dynaheir in this post, Safana & Viconia in Part III, Corwin, Glint & Edwin in Part IV, Baeloth, M'Khiin & Rasaad in Part V, Jaheira & Voghiln in Part VI and Dorn, Neera & Khalid in Part VIII. See also: Siege of Dragonspear - Companion Breakdown.

***

Have Corwin follow you out of the palace. At this point she only accompanies you as a guide, not as a full-fledged companion. She interjects at key moments to offer info and also assists in quests and battles.Corwin makes a great archer companion in Chapter Eight.

Note: While I don't recommend you do this on your maiden run, it's possible to entirely skip exploration of the city and fast track to Chapter Eight by informing Corwin of your readiness for the expedition. The next morning Safana, Viconia, Minsc & Dynaheir will gladly join (they are waiting for you just outside the palace) and you will have access to more party members in Chapter Eight. Again, I don't recommend skipping the city segment, but play how you like.

Baldur's Gate City

Outside the Palace

(AR BD0010)

The Flaming Fist is trying to keep the peace, but it's an uphill battle. - Corwin.

On the streets outside the palace you will see Flaming Fist Enforcers trying to hold back a throng of encroaching refugees who are protesting their displacement by Caelar's Crusade and treatment by the Dukes. Discipline an Enforcer for assaulting refugees to receive a one-point Reputation increase.

Note the sprite density.

Wind your way through the throng and a beat-up Ophyllis limps over to inform you of his progress - or lack thereof: your money was relieved from him by refugees who are currently patrons at the Three Old Kegs - one of the many taverns in the city (Quest: My Missed Fortune - covered in this post).

Speak with the two merchants standing at their stalls, Teera and Quila. Teera requests you deliver a bag of gold (50 GP) to a moneylender whose shop is across the street from Sorcerous Sundries.(Quest: All the Way to the Bank - covered in Part III).

Garachen is the fat man housing refugees on the proviso that they cough up their belongings as payment (Quest: Refuge for the Refugees - covered in Part III).

Ok, gain access to the City Map by clicking on a transition point to the south, east or west (oversight: there is no map marker in the east).

Baldur's Gate City — Map

You may visit four different city locations in any order you like: Three Old Kegs, Elfsong Tavern (& Sorcerous Sundries), Iron Throne HQ and Flaming Fist HQ. You are not free to explore the city as it was presented in the original campaign (large interlinking areas), and the explorable parts have been majorly downsized. I guess some people may be dismayed by these limitations - and
that's understandable because it's in contrast to the original - but I'm not overly perturbed by it.

Three Old Kegs (AR BD0040)

On the streets outside the inn lurk would-be muggers in search of a victim: Lluis, Golt, Dirla and Asery. You can intimidate the weaker Asery into fleeing (and still receive the kill experience) but the other three foolishly draw steel and seal their fate.

.
Rival sailor Autinn is provoking the crew of the Amnian Delight and it threatens to escalate into a bar-room brawl. Resolutions:

Calm them down for +500 Exp and 200 GP from the innkeeper, Nantrin Belowglyn (refuse the gold for Rep +1).

Defuse the situation by threatening the lot of them: 200 GP but no experience points.

Ally with Autinn against Lucilla. If the latter flees or is killed Autinn rewards you with Eadro's Blade +1(scimitar/wakizashi/ninja-to, THAC0 & dmg +2 vs. elementals & mephits). If Lucilla is killed in the fight (+750 Exp if the PC lands the killing blow) you can also loot her corpse for the Cudgel of Montgomer +1(mace, THAC0 +1, dmg +2, 10% on-hit Cure Light Wounds [wielder]). Reward from innkeeper: a drink on the house.

Same as above, except you ally with Lucilla against Autinn.

(Completed Quest: Bar Fight).

Head upstairs.

Three Old Kegs — Dining Room

(AR BD 0107)

Feasting up here are the refugees who beat up the treasurer and took your money from him. However, they have doled it out to fellow refugees and there is zero chance of ever getting it back from them. If you take the charitable approach their speaker (Berahli) gifts you a Battle Axe +1 and there is nothing else to do but wish them well and take your leave. If you order them to turn themselves in to Corwin for robbing and assaulting Ophyllis, they will comply and you receive +750 Exp. You may also simply slay them, right then and there.Berahli (+100 Exp), Hastus (+100 Exp), Ozil (+100 Exp), Refugee x3 (+120 Exp ea).
Either way, your gold is gone - but there is plenty more where that came from (Completed Quest: My Missed Fortune).

Head upstairs again.

Three Old Kegs — Private Suites

(AR BD 0108)

In one of the suites you will overhear a trio of nobles conspiring against the Council of Four. Resolve the issue as you see fit.

Pretend you want in on the plot but report them to Corwin in the common room. She and Inspector Tyle will meet you back upstairs. Dupe the nobles into proceeding to conspire and the inspector will have heard enough to arrest them. Reward: +750 Exp, Emerald (from Corwin).

Threaten them with imprisonment. The mere thought of being locked up offends them to the point of losing their minds and attacking an armored hero while dressed in naught but evening-wear, and you can effortlessly slay them with Drizzt dual-blades. Major overkill, right thar.Lord Maxwell (+15 Exp), Lady Araya (+15 Exp), Lord Therton (+15 Exp).

.

(Quest Complete: The Meeting of Minds).

We're almost done with the Three Old Kegs inn.

Companions — Minsc & Dynaheir

Guarding the entrance to the adjacent suite is the most famous companion in the Baldur's Gate series (after Boo): the Rashemi Berserker, Minsc. He grants you access to the suite where his charge, the wychlaran Dynaheir, agrees that they should accompany you against The Shining Lady.

Be sure to level them up and equip them a lil' better for the upcoming expedition.

The pic below shows the default equipment of Minsc and Dynaheir. How you deck them out depends on party composition and the needs of Charname (who takes priority), but for my purposes Minsc is better switching between archery and sword n board (the Siege UI supports IWD2-style weapon switching).

The biggest issue for Minsc is high AC (-2). Here is an example of how to make him a better tank, mostly using items carried over from the original campaign:

Mages are not so item-dependent as warriors but for Dynaheir a Ring of Wizardry and Robe of the Good Archmagi would not go astray. At any rate, rummage through your storage chest and see what goodies you can giftlend them. ;)

Second Circle: Blur, Knock, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Resist Fear, Web — Mirror Image is the most powerful illusion in the campaign despite being nerfed by the BG2 engine. Web is an obscenely OP disabler, not even losing its utility in SCS2 Ascension. Just make sure your tanks have Free Action status for wading into the AoE with impunity.

Third Circle: Dispel Magic, Fireball, Haste, Slow — Slow is underrated: confronted with twenty units of aggro it's better than Haste, though you should take advantage of both whenever possible. Fireball is best launched from detonation arrows and wands rather than through manual incantation; don't spend slots on it unless you lack the former options. Dispel Magic is bread n butter: a must-have in order to bring negatively afflicted party members back into action, or back on-side. It is fastest fired from a bow, though (i.e, Arrows of Dispelling).

Fifth Circle: Cloudkill and Sunfire — Immobilize the enemy first and drop Cloudkill to create a pit of hell for them to die in. Sunfire is an upgraded Fireball.

.
Being an Invoker Dynaheir may not memorize Enchantment/Charm spells (her Opposition School), which means spells such as Sleep, Confusion, Greater Malison, Chaos and Emotion: Hopelessness are out. However, I think we can agree that her default repertoire consists of enough I WIN to make her a very useful companion - more useful than Minsc. Don't forget to scope out Halbazzer's spell scroll stock to address Dynaheir's distinct lack of necromancy spells like Spirit Armor and Skull Trap. (Sorcerous Sundries is covered in the next post.)

23 comments:

I've just finished the game today and I was looking for a Walkthrough to see what I missed, and I found you. It's quite a task what you are doing. I've seen one mistake in the "The first restrained" quest... He is not a flaming fist... in fact it is a doppelganger. You can kill him or make a treat. He then is waiting for you in the cellar of the Iron Throne building with some minor treasure.

Only for completeness... you can also release him in a friendly manner and before saying goodbye, if you question him 2 or 3 times (cannot remember well) about how was he trapped he goes mad feeling discovered and attacks you!

You're (partly) missing the point. You can only get *some* of the original companions back. Most have left permanently, and even some of those who are still around will not be available to you until later in SoD. Only four are recruitable within the City (although one who refuses in the City becomes recruitable later).

When cheering Jospil up, I got 500 XP and both his staff and his buckler +1. I tried out some combinations and the best answer to the three "despair questions" are:1. "Pull yourself together."2. "I intend to save..."3. "Honor them by not giving in..."If you say one of them you get 250 XP and the staff, if you say 2 or 3 of them you get 500 XP and the staff and buckler.

When you release the "Flaming Fist" from the cell in the basement, you can talk to her again and trick her into revealing herself as a doppelganger by calling her a different name. My F/M/T has 17 Int, 18 Cha and 13 Wis.

Outside Three old kegs stands the crier Rodel, there is a small quest with you asking Katheera to give him a drink. Making her send one out right away gives you 300 XP and 30 GP. I had two different options for that:"..with an ox's stamina.." perhaps Con?"Robel's working so hard.." perhaps Int?If you can't convince her to hurry up you will miss those 30 GP. Oh what a tragedy...

In the "What? Get out!" quest mentioned above, I couldn't get Bartleby to attack. No matter what I do, both of them run away and if I force attack and kill them a woman teleports in and says she is reporting me to the Flaming fist. Weird.. High level FMT with high physicals perhaps? I'm 20 Str, 19 Dex, 20 Con. Half Orc with tweak anthology. :)

The "Corpse disposal" quest can net you 300 XP if you give Aileen 15 GP or 100 XP if you say you won't report her. Or 100 Xp and 85 GP if you extort her.

Very small trick: Every one of the sailors in Three old kegs is worth 750 XP, you could get a couple of them if you hurry up and force attack when they start to leave. Yes, I'm playing a good guy, isn't that obvious? :)/JE

Thanks for all those insights, JE. I'm sure ppl will find your comment useful. And yeah, "kill 'em as they leave" is an old trick that I've used in lots of RPGs over the years. Always good for a giggle.

• Anonymous users may not post comments. This is to cut out spam and insipid drive-by comments like "Love your blog!" and "You suck!", which I also consider spam. Register an account and Follow the blog if you would like to comment. Register on Google+ for a custom avatar!

• You can italicize, bold and underline portions of your text with simple HTML formatting elements. Likewise, you can include clickable hyperlinks with the basic HTML tag.

• Blog is moderated due to influx of spammers, trolls and bigots. I can spot a troll a mile off and hit it right between the eyes with fire and acid.

• Comments of a personal, political and religious nature are ignored. Comments with "isms" are ignored. Blatantly off-topic comments are ignored. Criticism of Renaissance RPGs based on degenerate current gen fads, trends and "sensibilities" are ignored.

• Remake-based comments on my Infinity Engine retrospectives don't get through the gate. This blog is about original-game narrative that has been in an authoritative state for 20 years. I don't care if a remake fixed this or broke that; I don't care who made the remake or who sanctioned it: there is only one authoritative version of a game, and that's the one released and patched by the original devs.

• Use zoom function of your browser to make the blog more readable. In Chrome, that's Ctrl and Shift and +. (And yes, I recommend that you view this blog with Chrome.)